Urogenital and Reproductive Disorders

Biological and social gender differences should always be acknowledged when considering the presentation, the severity, the treatment, and the consequences of 6 both reproductive and general health diseases. Gender has a significant impact on health, and it should be considered in the development of strategies for prevention and treatment of health conditions. • Biological differences can make women more prone than men to certain medical conditions during reproductive years. Women are more susceptible to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections with potential long-term consequences. • Even if a large number of men would welcome the opportunity to use male contraceptive methods and recognize that sharing family planning should be an individual right other than responsibility, family planning continues to be demanded to women because options available for male contraception are still obsolete and affected by high failure rates. Women are still often stigmatized and blamed in case of infertility even if infertility can have also a male factor. • Also after menopause, biological differences make women more susceptible to certain medical conditions such as genital organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, and vaginal atrophy with related sexual dysfunction. • In certain societies women continue to face discrimination or gender prejudice limiting their access to knowledge and health resources and making them more susceptible to diseases. In rural and poor communities, women’s healthcare needs are barely addressed, and also in countries with a higher progress, there is still a need for continuous investment in greater gender equality.